Anar Karimov: Azerbaijan allocated $2B for youth education in 5 years
Over the last 5 years, approximately $2 billion have been allocated for youth education in Azerbaijan, including support provided to nearly 70,000 young people in various forms through the Education Student Credit Fund under the Ministry of Science and Education, First Deputy Minister of Finance Anar Karimov said.
Karimov made the remarks at the event under the theme Youth Without Borders: Driving Shared Regional Prosperity, organized within the framework of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Groupchr("39")s 2026 Annual Meetings held in Baku.
"Allocations to youth are not expenditure, but a strategic investment for national development. I believe that the most important issue is financing people. Because millions of young people living in IsDB member countries represent one of the greatest development potentials. However, opportunities do not arise on their own. They must be supported, shaped, financed, and connected with each other through cross-border cooperation. Because talent and innovation know no borders. In Azerbaijan, we believe in youth and consider them not merely an expenditure item, but a strategic investment that is an integral part of national development," he noted.
In addition, the deputy minister said that Azerbaijan is expanding regional opportunities for young entrepreneurs: "In Islam, education is not merely an economic investment. It is an investment directed toward human dignity, responsibility, and service to society. This is precisely why investing in youth in Azerbaijan essentially means investing in young entrepreneurs. For young entrepreneurs to gain access to larger markets, they need broad opportunities, high mobility, and strong ecosystems. Regional cooperation is of particular importance in this regard. Azerbaijan is a place where interconnected cultures, peoples, and markets converge. Located at the crossroads of Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East, our country continues to strengthen its position as an important transport and trade hub along the Middle Corridor. This advantage makes a significant contribution to the development of trade, investments, innovations, and people-to-people connections."
According to him, supporting young entrepreneurs is an investment in the economy of the future: "The IsDB understood and accepted an important truth long ago. Development is not just about financing projects; it is about investing in peoplechr("39")s potential. These people contribute to the development not only of their own countries but of the region and the world as a whole. In the early years of my professional career, I was a participant in the IsDBchr("39")s Young Professionals Program. It was not merely a professional development program. I still remember that we were working on building Islamic micro-financing models for young entrepreneurs, especially women, in remote villages of Tajikistan. That experience showed me that investment in youth creates long-term and sustainable results that transcend the boundaries of financial instruments. Today, young leaders are being shaped under our guidance, but they are not waiting for the future. They need opportunities right now, and they are building the future from this very day. If we succeed in this mission, we will create not only a youth without borders but also an environment of boundless opportunities, innovations, and prosperity."